Shoe



March 31, 1931. c JANKE SHOP Filed April 4, 1924 WITNESSES ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 31, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT; OFFICE ER'IHOIiD C. JANKE, OF MILWAU KEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR :IJO JAYEIM'. MANUFAC- TUBING COMPANY, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN SHOE Application filed April 4, 1924. Serial No. 704,191.

The invention relates to shoes, and more particularly to the fastening means therefor. The lacing of the ordinary shoe permits it to be fitted snugly on the foot, but consider- 7 means adjacent the lacing whereby the shoe after may may be pro erly fitted on the foot and therelde removed and replaced on the foot by the manipulation of the fastener alone, the lacing remaining in its initially adjusted condition.

The invention further consists in the several features hereinafter set forth and more particularly defined by claims at theconclusion hereof.

In the drawin s: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a shoe embodying the invention showing the fastening means closed;

Fig. 2 is a similar-view showing the fastening means opened;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the shoe looking forward, the fastening means being closed; w

Fi 4 is a' fragmentary sectional view, showlng a modified attachment for the fastening means; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of the fastening device.

In the drawings 10 indicates a shoe, preferably of the blucher type, in which the upper 11 is provided at its forward parted portion with pairs of opposite eyelets 12 for a crossed front lacing 13. Adjacent each side of the lacing portion of the shoe the upper is provided with narrow openings 11 extending substantially parallel to the free forward edges of the upper and reaching the top edge, thus affording narrow ribbon portions in which the eyelets 12 are placed.

The fastener employed for closing the openings is of the multiple operated separable type, a well known variety being illustrated, in which flexible stringers 15 of fabric or leather attached to the upper at the edges of the openings 14 are provided with interlocking members 16 secured thereto in alternate relation. The interlocking members are engaged and released by a runner 17 which serves to spread the members to perinit their meshing or withdrawal. The runner is conveniently provided with a tab 18 to afford a fingerhold whereby the runner may be moved up to eifect a closure and down to release the interlocking members.

The stringers may be secured to either the inside or outside surfaces of the upper, and in the latter case, as illustrated in Fig. 4, the opening 14 presents a groove in which the runner may be moved without pressing into the foot.

The shoe is provided with a gusset 19 attached to the vamp 20 and to the upper in order to avoid entrance of dirt through the laced portion ofthe shoe. The gusset is provided with folds 21 on either side extending beneath the fasteners to prevent chafing of the foot by the metal parts.

Instead of having fasteners on both sides of the laced portion of the shoe, as illustrated, a fastener on one side only will be sufficient in many instances to afford an opening large enough to receive the foot.

The shoe of this invention is first placed on I the foot with the separable fasteners closed and the lacing open, whereupon the lacing is adjusted to obtain the proper fit and then tied. As the lacing 13 is disposed centrally of the forward portion of the shoe, the sym metry and appearance of the shoe will not be impaired by variations in the width of the foot in the shoe, and the term front lacing, as hereinafter noted, defines a lacing in such position. For subsequent removal of the shoe the runners 17 are moved downwardly to release the interlocking members 16, whereupon the laced portion of the upper with its attached gusset is swung outwardly from the rest of the upper to afford an easy removal of the shoe. Thereafter the shoe is placed on the foot with the separable fasteners opened, and it is then only necessary to pull up the runners to effect a closure of the upper, which requires but very little time, the lacing remaining in its initially adjusted condition to insure a properly fitting shoe.

The fastener secured on the inside quarter of the shoe has its lower end disposed sub- -stantially in line with the highest portion of the instep. It thus affords the largest possible opening for the insertion of the foot into the shoe and permits this fastener to be used alone without need for manipulating the fastener on the other side.

The term shoe as herein used includes a boot.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a shoe, the combination with an upper having a crossed front lacing for adjusting the shoe to the foot, of a flexible multiple operated separable fastener secured to said upper adjacent each side of said lacing but spaced therefrom and adapted for effecting rapid opening and closure of said upper after initial adjustment of said lacing and without further manipulation of said lacing.

2. In a shoe, the combination with an upper having a crossed front lacing for adjusting the shoe to the foot, of a flexible multiple operated separable fastener secured to said upper adjacent each-side of said lacing but spaced therefrom and adapted for effecting rapid opening and closure of said upper after initial adjustment of said lacing, and a usset secured within said upper and exten ing beneath said lacing and fasteners.

3. A shoe having the customary medially located front opening and a lace therefor, said shoe also having side slit openings located one beyond each side of the front opening and spaced at equal distance therefrom, whereby the shoe is provided with a trinity of openings symmetrically arranged with relation to the vertical median plane of the shoe, and quick acting fasteners each'having a pair of cooperatin side members sewed to respective edges of t e side slit openings to reinforce the upper adjacent said slits.

4. In a shoe, the combination of an up er having its quarters spaced along their orward edges and bridged by a medially disposed crossed front lacing for initiall adjusting the shoe to the foot, there being a .slot in one quarter extending adjacent and substantially parallel to the forward edge of said quarter and terminatin at its lower end ad'acent the lower end of said lacing, and a exible slide-controlled fastener separably connecting said quarter along said slot and serving as the normal fastening means for the shoe.

5. In a shoe, the combination of an upper having its quarters spaced along their forward edges to form a medially disposed front vopening, and one of said quarters having a slot extending adjacent and substantially parallel to the forward edge of the quarter to form a ribbon portion terminating at its lower end adjacent the lower end of said front opening, eyelets secured in said ribbon having its quarters spaced alon their portion, corresponding opposite eyelets secured in the forward edge portion of the other quarter of said upper, a crossed front lacing passing through said eyelets and bridging the s aced quarters of the upper for initially a justing the shoe to the and a flexible slide-controlled fastener separably connecting the upper along substantially the entire length of said slot and serving as the normal fastening means for the shoe.

6. In a shoe, the combination of an up er orward portions to present a medially disposed front openin andto form flaps which at their lower adjacent corner portions are unattached to the shoe, a crossed front lacing joining said flaps for initially adjusting the shoe to the foot, there being a slot in the flap of one quarter extending adjacent and substantially parallel to the forward edge of the flap and terminating at its lower end adjacent the lower end of the flap, and a flexible slide-controlled fastener separably connecting said quarter along said slot and serving as the normal fastening means for theshoe.

7. The combination, with a shoe havin an upper provided with the usual row of eye ets along each edge of its front opening and having a slot in its inner quarter disposed in substantially parallel adjacent relation to said front opening and terminating at its lower end substantially in line with the highest point of the instep and opening at its oot,

upper end in the upper edge of the quarter,

a front central lacing received in said-eyelets and bridging the front opening of the upper, and slide-controlled means connectin upper together along said slot and having its lower terminus substantially in line with the highest point of the instep at the first metatarsal bone.

8. In a boot, the combination of an up I having its quarters spaced along their orward edges to form a front opening, a mediall disposed crossed front lacin bridging the orward edge portions of said uarters for initially ad usting the boot to t e foot, there being a slot in the inner quarter of the upper extending adjacent and substantially parallel to the forward edge of said upper and terminating at its lower end adjacent the lower end of said lacing, and a flexible slidecontrolled fastener separably connecting said inner quarter along said slot to serve as the normal fastening means for the boot, and said fastener having its lower terminus substantially in line with the highest part of the instep at the region of the first metatarsal bone when the foot is in the boot, whereby to facilitate the insertion of the foot into the boot and the removal of the foot therefrom.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

ERTHOLD C. JANKE.

said 

